MADD VA E-Newsletter                                                                             July 2024

Cierra Simmons PSA

MADD Virginia sat down with Cierra Simmons to speak about her experience getting hit by an impaired driver and how it has changed her life. To view her story, click here.

Walk Like MADD - Shenandoah Valley

On June 1, 2024, Walk Like MADD Shenandoah Valley walkers gathered at Central High School at 10:00 am. Friends, families, and victims came together to honor loved ones injured or killed due to a drunk driving crash by walking a 5k around Woodstock, Virginia. We can't thank participants, donors, and sponsors enough for making the Walk Like MADD Shenandoah Valley an incredible event. Your support means the world to us and the victims we serve. As we celebrate this success, let's look forward to next year's walk with renewed hope and determination. Together, we can create a future free from impaired driving.

 

MADD Virginia Volunteer, Kristine Villatoro, shared her daughter Anna's story which helped launch Walk Like MADD Shenandoah Valley. Click here to read the story.

Victim Services: Isabelle Rhinehart

Hi! My name is Isabelle Rhinehart, and I am the Victim Service Specialist for Mothers Against Drunk Driving in Virginia. I have been with MADD for one year. As a victim service provider my day-to-day activities reflect the needs of those I support. This includes services such as emotional support, referrals to civil attorneys, co-hosting the Mid-Atlantic Virtual Support group, assistance with crime victim compensation, and many others. Every day I work to reach as many victim survivors of impaired driving as possible to offer our supportive services, in addition to developing community partnerships. I’m looking forward to adding this section of the newsletter as it will offer space for victim services including coping tips and upcoming events.

BUI = DUI

According to the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, a recent study conducted in four southeastern states of boating accidents estimated alcohol was a contributing factor in 51% of motorboat fatalities in these states. Most subjects were males, 21 to 40 years of age, in small open motorboats and non-powered craft.

A significant finding of this study was that passengers had the same risk of dying as the driver, regardless of whether the boat was underway. According to the U. S. Coast Guard, a boat operator with a Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) above 0.10 is more than 10 times as likely to be killed in a boating accident than an operator who has consumed no alcohol.

Also according the VA DWR site, “when it comes to alcohol, the law for operating a motorboat is nearly the same as for a motor vehicle. The presumptive level for being under the influence of alcohol is 0.08 BAC. No person is allowed to operate a watercraft under the influence of alcohol, narcotic drugs, or other self-administered intoxicants or drugs.
Virginia has “Zero Tolerance” for anyone under 21 years of age. It is unlawful for any person under the age of 21 to operate a boat after consuming alcohol.

The penalty for conviction of Operating Under the Influence (OUI) is as much as one year in jail and/or a $2,500 fine, a loss of the privilege of operating a watercraft for 12 months, and/or mandatory enrollment in the Alcohol Safety Action Program certified by the Commission on the Alcohol Safety Action Program (VASAP). All convictions are reported to the Department of Motor Vehicles.”

For more information on alcohol and boating, visit https://madd.org/bui/

DMV Highway Safety Office Message

DMV Highway Safety Office has a few facts to keep in mind before getting behind the wheel. Last year, there were almost 7,000 alcohol related crashes on Virginia road with 293 lives lost. This represents the highest number of lives taken from alcohol-impaired driving in five years. During the summer of 2023, alcohol related crashes rose to 33,496, almost the same number as in 2019. Last summer marked a 17 percent increase in fatalities compared to 2019. DMV encourages you to be a positive influencer on the road. Don’t drink and Drive.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) national Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign (DSOGPO) (August 14th – September 2nd) to bring awareness to your communities about the dangers and consequences of drunk driving.

Sober Ride Programs are offered during peak holidays in Northern Virginia by Washington regional Alcohol Program (WRAP) and Drive Safe Hampton Roads (DHSR) in the Hampton Roads area. Information on these programs can be found at https://wrap.org/soberride/ and https://www.drivesafehr.org/757-sober-ride/

Calendar

9/8/24 - MADD Mid-Atlantic Monthly Virtual Support Group via Teams at 2:00 pm

Meeting Link: https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/ap/t-59584e83/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fteams.microsoft.com%2Fl%2Fmeetup-join%2F19%253ameeting_M2JjZDVlOTYtZWZlYi00MjYyLWE4MWItNTgzM2E3OTM1MGY1%2540thread.v2%2F0%3Fcontext%3D%257b%2522Tid%2522%253a%25224d97059f-5f7e-491b-8c1e-8ff3eb6788c0%2522%252c%2522Oid%2522%253a%25228f0751c2-c692-4387-9287-3b5b82719d9f%2522%257d&data=05%7C02%7CAshley.Francis%40madd.org%7C236fb8c061a740202a1908dc8be19d33%7C4d97059f5f7e491b8c1e8ff3eb6788c0%7C0%7C0%7C638539048330083358%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=z3MtrF%2BFWCYGksXa50YCZYo4oVziLY4sUw8cmevCp8I%3D&reserved=0

Meeting ID: 275 664 947 012

Passcode: 6rpV2k

 

9/28/24 - Walk Like MADD Richmond

MADD Around Virginia

Volunteer Kristine shared her story at the Virginia Department of Corrections Training Academy for Victim Services staff.

Impaired Driving Crashes in the News

4/27/24 Woman and Dog Dead After Crash in Prince William

5/3/24 Manassas Man Charged with Manslaughter in Deadly DUI Crash

5/8/24 Man Charged with DUI after Wythe County Crash

5/16/24 2 Teens Killed in James City County Crash

5/21/24 Hampton Police Officer Arrested for DUI

5/22/24 Two Winchester residents killed in Essex County car crash

5/24/24 Family mourns father of 9 killed by drunk driver in Fairfax County

5/25/24 Man Charged with DUI in Crash that Killed Pedestrian

5/27/24 Stafford Sheriff’s Office Reports DUI Arrest After Crash

5/28/24 Suspected Drunk Driver Crashes Into Henrico Police Cruiser

5/29/24 Eleven Killed in Nine Crashes Over Memorial Day Holiday

5/30/24 Alcohol likely cause of fatal accident in Rockingham County on Route 11

6/7/24 One victim killed in early morning crash in Culpeper

6/9/24 Henrico Police Investigate after Pursuit of Possible Impaired Driver

6/13/24 Virginia State Trooper Struck by Suspected Drunk Driver During DUI Stop on I-495

Speeding Slows You Down

You can’t outrun the consequences of speeding. Not only can you get a ticket, but speeding is dangerous for you and everyone else on the roads. Make sure you are leaving enough time to get to your destination on time while driving the speed limit. Speeding is a quick way to get a ticket. Speeding slows you down.

“For more than two decades, speeding has been involved in approximately one-third of all motor vehicle fatalities. In 2022, speeding was a contributing factor in 29% of all traffic fatalities.” Source. Slow down or pay up.

This newsletter is supported by a federal highway safety grant administered by the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles.